Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K5/00—Feeding devices for stock or game ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
  • A01K5/01—Feed troughs; Feed pails
  • A01K5/0114—Pet food dispensers; Pet food trays
  • A01K5/0121—Disposable pet feeders
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K5/00—Feeding devices for stock or game ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
  • A01K5/01—Feed troughs; Feed pails
  • A01K5/0114—Pet food dispensers; Pet food trays
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K5/00—Feeding devices for stock or game ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
  • A01K5/01—Feed troughs; Feed pails
  • A01K5/0114—Pet food dispensers; Pet food trays
  • A01K5/0128—Pet feeders including liners; liners therefor; Means for holding liners to pet feeders
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K5/00—Feeding devices for stock or game ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
  • A01K5/02—Automatic devices
  • A01K5/0225—Gravity replenishment from a reserve, e.g. a hopper
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K5/00—Feeding devices for stock or game ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
  • A01K5/02—Automatic devices
  • A01K5/0225—Gravity replenishment from a reserve, e.g. a hopper
  • A01K5/0233—Gravity replenishment from a reserve, e.g. a hopper dispensing by dosing means actively operated by the animal
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K5/00—Feeding devices for stock or game ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
  • A01K5/02—Automatic devices
  • A01K5/0275—Automatic devices with mechanisms for delivery of measured doses
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K5/00—Feeding devices for stock or game ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
  • A01K5/02—Automatic devices
  • A01K5/0291—Automatic devices with timing mechanisms, e.g. pet feeders
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
  • B65F1/00—Refuse receptacles; Accessories therefor
  • B65F1/14—Other constructional features; Accessories
  • B65F1/1405—Compressing means incorporated in, or specially adapted for, refuse receptacles

Definitions

• the invention relates to a pet feeding device and a method for supplying and opening capsules.
• a pet feeding device which is fairly automated and, for example, is able to open capsules containing pet food and presenting the opened capsule to the pet.
• Such a device is described in WO 2015/198222 A2, but for example suffers from the problem that cleanliness in the surroundings of empty capsules, which generally remain in the device, cannot always be ensured, until the empty capsules are disposed of.
• the pet feeding device or pet feeder comprises a stamp for indenting and/or bending an edge, in particular a radial edge of the capsule.
• a stamp for indenting and/or bending an edge, in particular a radial edge of the capsule.
• the stamp will typically deform the capsule as such, which is typically made from a material having a high metal content, so that it will be plastically deformed, whereas the lid will preferably be radially shorter than the edge, so that it will remain in its initial orientation.
• it can have a
• the capsule body i.e. that part of the capsule which contains the food and is covered by a separate lid
• the capsule body can have a surrounding flange, which can for example be a few millimeters wide.
• the lid will preferably be radially shorter than the edge and can alternatively have essentially the same dimension as the outer head of the flange, but is advantageously not sealed to the flange at least in the outermost few millimeters.
• the flange will deform, in particular, it will be angled away from the lid, in other words, in a usual orientation of the container, downward, but the lid will not be deformed or essentially keep its shape, so that the resulting gap between the lid and the flange can be used for gripping the lid. Consequently, due to the deformation of the capsule, it can be reliably grabbed by an appropriate component of the pet feeding device.
• This also provides the significant advantage, that the measures for ensuring a reliable gripping of the lid are effected in the device itself as compared to a situation, in which the lid for example has a tab for gripping or any other, local means necessary for a reliable gripping of the lid.
• the capsules have to be provided in the device with a defined orientation which always carries the risk of an inappropriate orientation being effected by the user, thus endangering a reliable gripping. Moreover, there is no risk that a necessary tab is deformed, for example, during transport of the capsules, which generally endangers a reliable gripping thereof.
• this can be arranged such that any component for gripping the lid will, with regard to its position, be appropriately adjusted to make use of the indentation or otherwise deformed flange of the capsule, as described above.
• the invention generally refers to containers, reference will be made to capsules in the following.
• the invention enables a both space saving and clean solution with regard to the collection and disposal of empty capsules.
• any food or other liquids remaining in the capsule will be subject to the force of gravity, appropriate measures can be taken below the position, where the capsule is presented to the pet, to collect any such substances. This significantly enhances cleanliness of a pet feeder and convenience for the pet owner .
• the pet feeding device or pet feeder according to the present invention comprises a bag for accommodating used capsules.
• this bag can be regularly disposed it
• Used capsules will in the following also be called empty capsules, although they may still contain food or food leftovers being prone to contaminate the device.
• any type of container for accommodating empty capsules can be provided, but a
• this cover or cover portion can be integrated with or even integral with, i.e. constituting a portion of the pivoting means or the capsule opening means.
• means are provided for closing the bag before or during removal.
• a mechanism can be provided which closes the bag automatically. Alternatively, this may be done manually by the user. Any principle like the
• the bag corresponds to a zip-lock typically provided in bags for refrigerating or freezing foodstuff.
• the bag itself will typically have the means for closing the bag.
• the compartment can be actuated and shifted allowing conveying, such as pivoting means to pass during actuation.
• This shifting or displacement can, for example, be effected in a vertical direction.
• shifting in a horizontal direction or combinations of both vertical and horizontal directions are also possible.
• compartment of the device In other words, at one end of such a compartment, filled capsules are consecutively removed and supplied to the feeding position, and for example at the other end of the compartment, the empty capsules are
• the above described compartment can be a secondary package of the capsules, and the above described bag can be integrated with the mentioned compartment and/or secondary package.
• accommodating filled and empty capsules in one and the same compartment will particularly be enabled by pivoting the capsule to be supplied about
• Reliable and efficient operation can be achieved, when the containers are, one by one, releasable from a compartment and/or allowed to enter a compartment by the force of gravity and a blocking element that can be moved or opened.
• a blocking element that can be moved or opened.
• this can be at least one blocking element that releases the capsules when they are moved out of the
• releasing path and otherwise holding the capsules back when being moved into the releasing path.
• it can be realized by at least one blocking element, which blocks the opening in a radially inner position and opens or widens the opening when moved to a radially outer position.
• the radially movable element can, for example, be constituted by a latch.
• a mechanism having plural radially movable elements can be called an iris mechanism.
• the opening in the outer radial part of the conveying means may thus serve as a holding and releasing mechanism for the capsule during reloading, actuation, opening, feeding and disposal.
• This can, for as example, be facilitated by a plate having a bore or hole in connection with another plate having a wider hole or bore that allows the container to pass through with a narrower bore enclosing the lower or mid part of the container.
• An alternative is a gripping mechanism in the pivoting means that either holds the container in place or is open wide enough to let a container pass through.
• the device comprises means for conveying the container from one to another location within the device. Along the conveying path, on which single or plural
• containers are transported, certain actions, such as opening the container, presenting the opened container to the pet, disposing of the container and reloading one or more
• containers can be performed.
• the conveying can initiate further mechanisms and/or steps, such as opening the container, as described in more detail below.
• the conveying mechanism may consist of pivoting means for pivoting a container to be supplied about at least one substantially horizontal or vertical axis.
• this axis is preferably outside the container to be pivoted.
• the pivoting means are preferably adapted to pivot a single container.
• the device is adapted to both supply and open filled containers, such as capsules or cans, and the containers are pivoted about at least one substantially horizontal axis when being supplied to a position, where the open container is presented to the pet.
• the pivoting means can have the shape of a part of a ball, globe or cylinder, with a globe being preferred for providing a particularly tight sealing with a compartment for accommodating empty capsules as described below.
• a gripper for gripping the lid and the lever for biasing the lid against the opening direction can have shapes which correspond to a portion of a globe, cylinder but also a flat surface.
• pivoting means around two pivoting axes can be implemented by mounting two guide rods in parallel on these two axes and connect their loose ends by a bridge being parallel to the connection of the axes.
• plural containers can be pivoted or rotated about a typically vertical axis in the manner similar to a revolver.
• plural containers can be conveyed linearly in order to sequentially be located at appropriate stations, where the above-described steps are respectively taken.
• the pet feeder advantageously also comprises a lever for biasing the lid being opened in a direction opposite to the opening direction. Consequently, the lid is kept tensioned during the opening movement, so that the formation of wrinkles or similar deformations can be minimized. This also minimizes the risk of food sticking to the lid spoiling the surroundings, and in particular any surrounding components of the pet feeder.
• the pet feeding device preferably
• the pet feeder described herein can also have a camera and/or RFID reader in order to identify a pet approaching the device and in order to initiate supplying and opening a filled capsule at the appropriate time.
• the device can finally comprise a heater.
• the lid is preferably brought back onto or into the empty capsule before disposing the capsule into the
• the above-mentioned object underlying the invention is further achieved by providing a method for supplying and opening a filled container, in which the edge of the
• the container is indented and/or bent before opening.
• the lid is preferably biased in a direction opposite to the opening direction during opening, as described above.
• the container is pivoted about at least one substantially horizontal axis.
• This method can be used for actuation of any type of containers also outside the field of pet feeding.
• An example may be the handling of capsules filled with food or
• Fig. 1 schematically shows the general design of a pet feeding device
• Fig. 2 shows a central part of the pet feeding device, having one pivoting axis, with a single container being released from a compartment;
• Fig. 3 shows the part corresponding to that of Fig. 2
• Fig. 4 shows the same at the end of pivoting
• Fig. 5 shows the same after the empty container has been deposited in the compartment
• Fig. 6 shows a secondary package, accommodating
• Fig. 7 shows the secondary package of Fig. 6 during use
• Fig. 7a shows a bag filled with empty containers closable by a zip or bonding area
• Fig. 7b shows, a bag filled with empty containers closable with two embedded opposite strings
• Fig. 7c shows an alternative for closing the bag with a cover
• Fig. 8 shows means for releasing a single container
• Fig. 11 shows indenting a container lid
• Fig. 12 shows the part of the container also shown in
• Fig. 15 shows means to bias the lever shown in Figs. 13 and
• Fig. 16 shows a central part of the pet feeding device, having two pivoting axes, with a single container being released from a compartment;
• Fig. 17 shows a central part of the pet feeding device, having two pivoting axes, with a single container being released from a compartment;
• Fig. 19 shows the same at the end of pivoting
• Fig. 20 shows the same after the empty container has been deposited in the compartment.
• the pet feeding device 10 has, in the embodiment shown, a main part 28 having the general appearance of a part of a globe, and a platform 26. Since the containers containing pet food are presented essentially at the top of the main part 28, as will be detailed below, the platform 26 serves to allow the pet to reach this top area.
• the pivoting means 14 is shown in an intermediate state. Moreover, it can be seen that it essentially comprises two arms 30, 32 and a bottom 34 for transporting a container 12.
• the pivoting means 14 brings the container 12 to the top of the device, which is shown in Fig. 4.
• the container is opened at this position so that the content of the container is
• the container is allowed to enter the compartment 20 so that, due to the consecutive use of the filled
• the compartment 20 is consecutively filled with empty containers, from the top thereof.
• Fig. 6 indicates that the compartment 20 can be formed by a secondary package shown as a rectangular box in Fig. 6.
• the containers are stacked with a bag 16, which later serves as a waste bag, typically wrapped around the top or the sides of the secondary package.
• containers is in the bag, the bag being accommodated in the secondary package, and the bag can then be removed.
• Fig. 7a shows the closing of the bag 16, filled with empty containers, before or during removal.
• reference numeral 52 indicates a zipper or bonding area which can be provided in a top part of the bag 16, in order to close the bag before or during removal thereof. Consequently, any remaining pet food and/or odors can be provided in a top part of the bag 16, in order to close the bag before or during removal thereof. Consequently, any remaining pet food and/or odors can be provided in a top part of the bag 16, in order to close the bag before or during removal thereof. Consequently, any remaining pet food and/or odors can
• Fig. 7b shows mechanisms to close the bag before or during removal, with two embedded, opposite strings.
• Fig. 7c shows an alternative for closing the bag before or during removal in the form of a cover 18.
• this measure can also be applied during use of the device as alternative to the cover 31 in Fig °7 in order, for example, to keep odors inside during use of the device.
• Fig. 8 shows a first alternative of a mechanism to allow a single container 12 to be released from a compartment (from the bottom according to Fig. 6) or to be allowed to enter the compartment (from the top of Fig. 7) .
• a single container 12 to be released from a compartment (from the bottom according to Fig. 6) or to be allowed to enter the compartment (from the top of Fig. 7) .
• the mechanism essentially has a plate 36 with a hole 38 wide enough to allow the container 12 to pass
• Fig. 9 and 10 show an alternative mechanism for removing a single container from the compartment.
• a so-called iris mechanism is provided having several, in the embodiment shown six radially movable members 42, which are displaced radially in order to provide a wide opening 38 as shown in Fig. 10, whereas the opening is a smaller opening 40 in the state of Fig. 9.
• Fig. 11 shows a stamp 44 for indenting an edge 46 of a container 12.
• both the lid 22 and the edge 46 are in an essentially horizontal state, which is shown for the lid 22 in Fig. 12. This is because the lid 22 is radially shorter, so that the stamp only acts on the edge 46 of the container 12.
• the edge 46 of the container is plastically deformed and stays in the inclined state shown in Fig. 12.
• a gap 48 is thus formed between the lid 22 and the edge 46 of the container 12, which can be used to reliably grip and open the lid as shown in Fig. 13 and 14.
• the lid 22 could be provided radially wider, so that the stamp 44 acts both on the lid 22 and the edge 46, which are, in an initial state, essentially horizontal. Since the lid 22 is made of an elastic material, it returns to its initial orientation even after the stamp 44 is removed, similarly as shown in Fig. 12.
• a protrusion 50 enters the gap 48, when the lid is to be opened, and removes the lid from the container, as can be seen in Fig. 14.
• This figure also shows a lever 24 for biasing the lid 22 in a direction (to the left in Fig. 13 and 14) opposite to an opening direction (to the right in Fig. 13 and 14), in order to minimize formation of wrinkles or similar deformations.
• Fig. 15 additionally shows the lever 24 being biased in the described direction by means of a spring 52.
• Fig. 16 shows the actuation principle releasing a container, similar as Fig 2, but now with two pivoting axes 54 and a shiftable compartment.
• the containers are supplied in a position with the lid facing upwards.
• Fig. 17 and ° 18 show the actuation principle moving the container 55 anti-clockwise and clockwise upwards, similar as Fig 3, but now with two pivoting axes and a shiftable
• Fig. 19 shows the actuation principle with the pivoting means and the container in the top position, similar as Fig 4, but now with two axes and a shiftable compartment.
• Fig. 20 shows the actuation principle after the container has been disposed to the compartment similar as Fig 5 but now with two pivoting axes and a shiftable compartment. Full and empty containers are facing the same direction.

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Birds (AREA)
• Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Fodder In General (AREA)
• Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
• Feeding And Watering For Cattle Raising And Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
• Closing Of Containers (AREA)

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Publications (1)

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Citations (8)

Family Cites Families (33)

• 2019
  • 2019-02-21 CH CH000223/2019A patent/CH715871B1/de unknown
• 2020
  • 2020-02-20 EP EP20706473.4A patent/EP3927150B1/de active Active
  • 2020-02-20 WO PCT/EP2020/054467 patent/WO2020169726A1/en unknown
  • 2020-02-20 WO PCT/EP2020/054464 patent/WO2020169723A1/en unknown
  • 2020-02-20 CN CN202080015157.5A patent/CN113438895B/zh active Active
  • 2020-02-20 WO PCT/EP2020/054465 patent/WO2020169724A1/en unknown
  • 2020-02-20 EP EP20706471.8A patent/EP3927149B1/de active Active
  • 2020-02-20 JP JP2021549159A patent/JP2022521522A/ja active Pending
  • 2020-02-20 US US17/432,461 patent/US20220142121A1/en active Pending
  • 2020-02-20 US US17/432,460 patent/US12035695B2/en active Active
  • 2020-02-20 WO PCT/EP2020/054466 patent/WO2020169725A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2020-02-20 EP EP20706470.0A patent/EP3927148A1/de active Pending
  • 2020-02-20 US US17/432,706 patent/US20220167584A1/en active Pending
  • 2020-02-20 BR BR112021015695-0A patent/BR112021015695A2/pt unknown
  • 2020-02-20 EP EP23174303.0A patent/EP4233531A3/de active Pending

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